MEDICINE FOR THE SOUL

Volume 11,Issue 2 Newsletter of the Atlantic County Historical Society SUMMER 2013 MEDICINE FOR THE SOUL Dear Gentle Reader, Inscription over the door at the Library of Thebes If you were not present at the Atlantic County Historical Society, Monday, April 29 th, 7:00 PM as we hosted MEET THE AUTHORS night, let me gently inform you that your 2013 reading schedule is now seriously compromised. Over sixty guests enjoyed the presentations of nine local writers who have authored books incorporating the Atlantic County area as the back drop for their literary creations. From the beginning of our alphabetical list, Dawn Price Brown spoke about her cartoon type story of her father, Harold Price s, baseball career. Whispers through the audience confirmed that he was a known name in Egg Harbor Township. At the end of the alphabet was Steven Young from Atlantic City who has written several books but on this evening highlighted, The Women of all Seasons. Seated next to Steven was Sandy Warren, also from Atlantic City who discussed her cook book titled, Art Blakley Cookin and Jammin Recipes. Again, the audience came up with remembrances of hearing Art Blakley in the apex of his career. Judy Courter of Galloway Township became fascinated with the stories she heard about Ethel and Fred Noyes fourteen years ago and did extensive research into their lives and how they founded the Historic Smithville Inn and Village. Her book, Fred and Ethel Noyes of Smithville, New Jersey, takes locals a step back into history of which many of us recall and lived through. D.C. Stone, a former Playboy Bunny from Galloway Township wrote, Shadow of Darkness, a dark fantasy growing from her active mind. She is presently working on two more books. A gentleman familiar to many South Jerseyians is, Lee Ireland, who has written a book called, Place Names of the Jersey Shore If you ever wondered how our towns and streets got their names they are revealed in his book. A book title that caught much attention was A Way to A Woman s Heart, was written by Atlantic City resident Michael Stevenson who is currently the Chef for the Redskins. His recipes and gentle and loving advice is worth heeding. Frank Ferry, Esq., a Trustee on the Board of the Atlantic County Historical Society has written of the true life of Enoch Johnson, political leader of the Republican Party in his book, Nucky, the Real Story of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Boss. Frank praised his fellow authors on this Meet the Authors panel for their love and dedication to Atlantic County. His second biography will be that of Senator Frank S. Farley. The sole poet presenting was Nancy Steelman from Vineland who brought with her several delightful members from the Vineland Historical Society. She read two of her poems from her book, Country Friend. They were succinct, gentle and thought provoking. Events and Happenings And so, Dear Gentle Reader, may I gently tell you that if you were not in attendance that you missed a truly enlightening evening. See photos of the evening on page 6 Atlantic Heritage 1

Program Logistics Risley Homestead 8 Virginia Avenue (near 400 block of Shore Road) Northfield, NJ Each Saturday 11:00am 4:00pm Each Sunday 1:00pm 4:00pm Free Admission Donations Appreciated ATLANTIC COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 907 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ ATLANTIC COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 907 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ July 27, 2013 Time: 11:00am 3:00pm ATLANTIC COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 907 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ September 7, 2013 Time: 6:00pm (Inside, 2 nd Floor) Free and open to the public HARBOR PINES COUNTRY CLUB Ocean Heights Ave. Egg Harbor Twp. Saturday, October 19th 11:30 A.M. Reservation Required. Fee: $30. Program Description The Risley Homestead is one of two 18th century houses in Atlantic County individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was home to many generations of Risley oystermen. The ACHS received the Homestead and its furnishings by bequest from Virginia Risley Stout in 1989. Open weekends from May through October. The Homestead is open for individual and small group guided tours. Closed on major holidays. 100 th ANNIVERSARY COOKBOOK Our 100 th Anniversary cookbook, entitled Recipes Through The Years, is now available at the ACHS. Cost is $20. Look for details on our website about our Cookbook luncheon this fall at ACIT Café on Main Street which will feature recipes from the Cookbook. ANTIQUES ROAD SHOW DITCHED! The ACHS Program Committee regretfully reports that for various and sundry foggy reasons, the planned Antiques Road Show type program scheduled for June has hit a bump in the road and was thrown into a ditch until next year. HAPPY 100 TH BIRTHDAY!! Join us for our Birthday Party complete with balloons, cake and lemonade. Library and Museum Tours guides will be available to show you around and answer questions. Pick up a copy of our latest Newsletter and consider becoming a member or volunteer. See how good 100 can look! EVENING OF BLUE GRASS - BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! By popular demand, this fall sees the return of the Bennetts and Claytons for an Evening of Bluegrass. This much loved local group will once again delight us with their mixed bag of Bluegrass, gospel songs, patriotic renditions and some of their own down home compositions. This event will coincide with Somers Point s annual Good Old Days Festival. What a perfect way to wind down your day of browsing and playing through the Festival! For more information please call the Atlantic County Historical Society at 609-927-5218. 2013 ACHS ANNUAL LUNCHEON & 100 th BIRTHDAY PARTY The Atlantic County Historical Society s 2013 annual meeting and luncheon will be especially jubilant this year as we also celebrate our 100 th birthday with favors, balloons, birthday napkins and birthday cake for dessert. Following the installation of the nominees to the 2013-2014 governing Board, The Bringing History to Life Award recipients will be honored with a special presentation by Assistant Librarian, Diane Miller and former Librarian, Dale Lonkart, who spent months researching and putting together a power point presentation about the Society s past history. Members, volunteers and the public are graciously invited to attend our 100 th birthday party. OUR LADY IN RED Along with the Atlantic County Historical Society, our Lady in Red, Betty Deery Steelman, affectionately known as Betty, celebrates a milestone birthday this year. This ever cheerful and vibrant lady turned 90 years old in May and celebrated by hosting a birthday party for herself at the Crab Trap Restaurant in Somers Point for ninety of her best friends. To illustrate how sharp a mind this youthful woman has, she picked out the one person in the room she did not know; a guest that was invited along at the last minute when her intended partner became ill. Betty has a long and interesting history, having served in the U.S. Waves during World War II, as an office worker in the Navy Bureau of Personnel, in Arlington, Virginia, and becoming a member of many organizations and historical societies. Over the years she extensively researched her late husband John s genealogy that can be traced back to the 17 th Century. Betty s secret to youth is staying interested in things, remaining active, maintaining an upbeat attitude and most important; always wear red! Atlantic Heritage 2

1913, or TWTYTW Our birthday. Our nativity. TWTYTW. That Was The Year That Was. A play on the mid- 60's TV satirical comedy program starring David Frost and called That Was The Week That Was, or TW3, which highlighted the week s events of interest and importance. That program lasted about one year. We, however, have made it to the century mark...100 years old!! What else happened in 1913? The following were born: Vivian Leigh, Burt Lancaster, Danny Kaye, Red Skelton, Richard Nixon, Albert Camus, Jesse Owens, Jimmy Hoffa, Woody Herman, Vince Lombardi. Our population was 97,335,000 and postage was 2 cents. The 16 th Amendment was ratified establishing the federal income tax, the first prizes were placed in Cracker Jacks boxes, Mary Phelps Jacobs patented the modern elastic brassiere, Ebbets Field opened for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Swedish engineer Gideon Sundback of Hoboken, NJ patented the all-purpose zipper and Tiny Broadwick was the first woman to parachute from an airplane. Wow! We re in pretty good company, eh? If you d like to help us survive in difficult times and continue to grow our resources and save to expand our building, we hope you ll use the enclosed envelope to make us, and you, feel good. Thanks in advance for your generosity. In Memoriam Lou Tilton Soloff Life Member The Atlantic County Historical Society is pleased to welcome and thank our newest members: Joseph Harness, Little Egg Harbor, NJ Lisa Besser, Tabernacle, NJ Bob & Pat Stebbins, Barnegat, NJ Dirk Smith, Hollis, NH Dennis Niceler, Pomona, NJ (prior member) Gabe Coia, Galloway, NJ Edwin & Barbara Kroger, Mays Landing, NJ (prior members) Fred & Carol Dodd, Egg Harbor Twp., NJ Thomas Arnold, Lawrence, KS AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU! Our thanks to the following friends and members for their generosity and continuing support: FRIEND: $1-$49 Jim Davidson and Felix Amador, Charles and Marilyn Gallagher, Eugene and Shirley Somers Sheryl Collins, In Honor Of Betty Steelman Phyllis Morris, In Honor Of Betty Steelman In Memory of Lou Tilton Soloff Mary A. Schulz, Robert and Eleanor Webb, Samuel and Stella Ann Borenstein San Angelo (TX) Association of Realtors PATRON: $50-$249 Barbara Westergaard Joseph and Geraldine Rosen, In Honor Of Betty Steelman In Memory of Lou Tilton Soloff Samuel and Sherill Barbary,David and Donna Bozarth, Bob and Lynne Warner, Donna Keppel, Kevin and Rita Donohoe, Thomas Enstice, Christopher Miele and Daniel Sedlock, Court and Diane Soloff President: Richard Squires Vice-President: Sid Parker, Jr. Recording Secy: Barbara Perry-Silva Treasurer: Charlene Canale Asst. Treasurer: Pat Parker Financial Secretary: Kevin Little Atlantic County Historical Society Governing Board Librarian: Freda Heintz Assistant Librarian: Diane Miller Curator: Assistant Curator: Allen Boo Pergament Chaplain: Rev. Norman Goos Trustees: Jerry Bell, Skip Bellino, Frank Ferry, Helen Walsh, James Mason,V, Richlyn Goddard, Ruth Taylor, Ellen Hyatt, Ruth Faust, Alex Marino, Donald Perry, Sheryl Collins. Atlantic Heritage 3

Volunteer of the Quarter This is one way to pay tribute to our many volunteers, for as a volunteer-run organization, we could not exist without their dedication and enthusiasm. If you think that you would like to join our volunteers, you are welcome to contact us. Ruth Taylor may as well change her home address to the Society building. On any given day Ruth might be found at her station...a library table with her laptop open in front of her. If she s not on volunteer duty (a couple times each month or filling in for someone else), she s frequently there doing her own research or research for a friend. She is also one of two volunteers, Mary Beth Ortzman being the other, who handle the bulk of genealogical research queries from members or folks who find us online. It even appears at times that if a name is mentioned, she ll know it or she can find it in her own database because it s a relative. Ruth first joined the Society in the late 1960's or early 1970's and has been a volunteer off and on for the majority of those years. She is also a member of the Northfield, Hamilton Township and Greate Egg Harbour Township historical societies. Her research has been extensive enough to gain her admission into the D.A.R. through her patriot, Jeremiah Risley. Not content enough having joined that elite group, she has now set her sights on the Society of Mayflower Descendants. Ruth has worked at the old Boardwalk National Bank in the Arcade Building, at Tennessee Ave. and the Boardwalk, Atlantic City Medical Center and finished up with 21 years cooking at Harrah s Casino. With 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, we re thankful for any of her time! Available at the ACHS for $20 per copy. Pick up one for yourself and one for that hard-to-buy-for friend or relative! OLIVE RUNDSTROM AWARD APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE JULY 1,2013 Applications for the annual Olive Rundstrom History Award will be available at the ACHS beginning July 1 st. All completed applications must be submitted on the official form and returned to the ACHS by the end of business (3:30) September 28 th, 2013 This award named in honor of Olive Rundstrom, long time ACHS historian, officer and volunteer, is available annually to assist a local student, historian, researcher or organization complete work on a local history project. The award, up to $500., funds a portion of the project and applicants need to secure the balance of needed funding from other sources. For more information call the ACHS at 927-5218. Spotlight on the Shelves a treasure hiding in plain sight We are on the hunt for some more books to fill an information void. If you have done some spring cleaning and felt the urge to throw out some old school yearbooks please contact the ACHS library at 609-927- 5218. Check with us before you give them a heavequite a bit of information in the books can fill in some blank spots in family lore or history. Who went to school with whom- I didn t know they lived in that place- look at that outfit or hair- look at that team. Yearbooks open a time window and give a glimpse into the world and eras of the past. So please help both yourself and the Historical Society by recycling your old school yearbooks. 2013 YEARBOOK ERRATA: Yearbook Volume 17, Number 1 Corrections to History of the Pleasantville Meadows, Part I Prehistory to 1850 : p. 40, line 9: Change footnote 1 to footnote 64. p. 53, last line (in footnotes): Change See footnote 61 to See footnote 24. p. 54, line26: Change footnote 73 to footnote 136. Atlantic Heritage 4

150 th Anniversary of The Civil War By Skip Bellino UPDATE ON THE WAR: APRIL 1863 JUNE 1863 April 1863 finds General Ambrose Burnside, after the disastrous defeat at Fredericksburg, Va., has been relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac and re-assigned to the Western theater. His replacement is General Joseph Fighting Joe Hooker. Most of April is taken up with skirmishes between the Union and Confederate forces in the Virginia and West Virginia areas. There are victories on both sides but nothing monumental. In the Western theater, General U. S. Grant is maneuvering his troops with his sights set on Vicksburg, Mississippi. This would prove to be one of the most difficult undertakings that Grant would face in his military career. Vicksburg is especially important in that a Union victory here would open up the entire length of the Mississippi River to the Union Navy vessels. The matter complicates considering the geographical features of Vicksburg. Set high up on cliffs, the city gets the nickname of the Gibraltar of the West. Grant will eventually lay siege to the city and the ordeal will drag out for two months with no decision. Meanwhile in the East, Hooker is maneuvering his troops along the Rappahannock River with the intention to give battle to General Robert E. Lee. Hooker has under his command 70,000 troops with another 30,000 troops in reserve near Fredericksburg under the command of General John Sedgwick. On April 27 th the Army of the Potomac crosses the Rappahannock River and threatens Lee s Confederates. On May 1 st Hooker pulls his forces back to take an offensive position. General Thomas Stonewall Jackson leads a devastating attack on the Union forces right flank. On May 2 nd the fighting continues with Jackson on Hooker s right and Lee on the Federal right. That evening, while conducting a reconnaissance, General Jackson and several of his staff strayed past the Confederate lines. When returning they are mistakenly identified as Union soldiers and are fired upon by their own men. Jackson is wounded and carried from the field. He will lose his left arm and will contract pneumonia. Jackson died on May 10, 1863. After being wounded, Lee said of Jackson, He seems to have lost his left arm, and I have lost my right. General A. P. Hill would also be wounded at Chancellorsville. Yet another blow to Lee and the Confederate Army. Meanwhile at Vicksburg, Grant continues to try to defeat the Confederate forces with several attempted attacks being repulsed. General Joseph Johnston CSA is ordered to attack Grant and attempt to reverse the situation. Johnston hesitates and loses the momentum to thwart Grant. Robert E. Lee decides it is time for a Confederate invasion of the North. He begins to move his troops out of the Fredericksburg area and begins a month long campaign which will lead to the Battle of Gettysburg, Pa. Lincoln advises Hooker to maneuver in such a manner as to keep his Army between Lee and Washington, the President still in fear of a Confederate attack on the Capital. On June 27 th, after discussion with General Henry Halleck, President Lincoln relieves General Hooker as Commander of the Army of the Potomac and replaces him with General George Gordon Meade. In just a few days, Meade will have his mettle tested at Gettysburg. During the weeks leading up to Gettysburg, General J. E. B. Stuart, Commanding the Confederate Cavalry, will conduct several successful raids against the Union Cavalry further frustrating the Army of the Potomac s attempt to reorganize and conduct meaningful military operations. During the next quarter of 1863 we will see Robert E. Lee once again slip the noose at Gettysburg in order to fight another day, much to the consternation of President Lincoln. Atlantic Heritage 5

Veteran s History Project Spotlight Did you ever wonder what happens to each veteran s recorded interview once it leaves the Atlantic County Historical Society? Well wonder no more, according to the Library of Congress here are the steps they follow: 1. ACHS Veteran s History Project sends the interview and other materials to the LOC by Fed Ex. 2. The materials are accessioned, processed and placed in archival housing at the LOC. 3. Information about each collection is entered into the LOC database. 4. A web page is created for each veteran who shares his or her story and submits materials. 5. Once the collection is processed materials are housed in a safe, climate controlled environment at the Library of Congress. 6. Information in the database can be accessed by going to the LOC Home page, www.loc.gov/vets When the search page comes up, choose Search by Contributor and type in Atlantic County Historical Society. This will bring up an alpha list of all the interviews submitted by the ACHS and entered into the database. As resources permit, the LOC is digitizing interviews so that they will be available in their entirety on the veteran s web page. 7. Collections can be assessed by the public at the American Folklife Center Reading Room. All collections submitted by the ACHS are also available at the ACHS Library during our regular hours. 8. Collections are available for use by researchers, educators, and family members and others. To date, 176 interviews that the ACHS Veteran s History Project has completed are available on the VHP web site. Interviews were conducted at Meadowview Nursing home with six WW 11 veterans in March and scheduling is now taking place for interviews to be conducted on Wednesday June 26 th at the Zion Methodist Church. If you are interested in participating call the ACHS and leave a message for the VHP committee Chair Sheryl Collins and someone will get back to you with details. OH NO! SAY IT ISN T SO! She just packed up and left us and moved to Florida!!!! How could she do that?! Who, you ask? Ruth Faust, long-time volunteer and former board member. Ruth s many years in the insurance business made her invaluable to us, especially after Hurricane/ Nor easter Sandy knocked down our sign in front of our building. Fortunately, a few years earlier Ruth had advised us to insure the sign, mostly against vehicular mishap but, as luck would have it, it was wind not wheels, which shortened the lifespan of our sign. Our new sign, with our new/old name on it, was almost completely paid for with the insurance proceeds and is back in place. Now, if we could only talk Ruth into being our long distance insurance advisor... Top: (L-R) Judy Courter, Frank Ferry, Lee Ireland, Nancy Steelman, Mike Stephenson, D.C. Stone, Sandy Warren & Steven Young at Meet The Author s Night. Bottom : (L) Dawn Price Brown with photo of her father, Harold Price; (R) Steven Young with A Woman of All Seasons. Atlantic Heritage 6

Library Spotlight Freda Heintz, Librarian Asst. Librarian, Diane Miller FOUNDING MOTHERS FOLLOW-UP We d like to create an on-going 100 th anniversary story with the help of our readers. Hoping that many have had the chance to read the story of Our Founding Mothers which appeared in the last issue of our Yearbook (2012-13), we now ask if anyone has more information to add to that which was written. Perhaps you are a descendant of one of these eight ladies, and would like to share how you are related. Perhaps you have a photo which might give us a glimpse of how they looked in their younger or later years especially of the two women whose images we were unable to find: Mrs. Mary Rebecca Mullhallon Fish and Mrs. Melvetta Risley Rogers. Maybe you have a story about them or their families which would help us to know them a little better, or an object which personally belonged to them something that they touched or created. If you do and it certainly doesn t need to be limited to the examples given we would enjoy hearing what you have to share. Feel free to contact us by phone (609-927-5281) or email: achsinfo@comcast.net with the subject line Founding Mothers. If coming to visit in person works better, that would be welcome as well. Our volunteers are usually present Wednesdays Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thank you! We hope to hear from you! ON THE ROAD AGAIN April 18 Dale Lonkart and Diane Miller gave the debut presentation of their ACHS 100 th Anniversary Power Point at a meeting of the Estell Manor Historical Society. The program begins with a brief biography of each of the Society s founders. It then gives an overview of the Society s accomplishments over the past 100 years, and how it has interacted with the community since its founding. An audience of about 20 people interacted comfortably with the presenters throughout the program. May 14 Dale Lonkart and Diane Miller represented the Atlantic County Historical Society at the first meeting of the Somers Point Heritage Tourism meeting held at the Somers Point Historical Society. A decision was made to use available funds to update and print the Visit Our Museum rack card currently available at several locations. The revised card will feature the Atlantic County Historical Society, Somers Mansion, the Somers Point Historical Museum, and possibly another Somers Point destination on the front. The back will give a list of Somers Point restaurants. The next meeting is scheduled for June 25. Newsletter Editor, Layout & Graphics Ellen Hyatt Contributors to this Issue: Sid Parker, Pat Parker, Freda Heintz, Diane Miller, Sheryl Collins, Skip Bellino, Helen Walsh & Dale Lonkart The Atlantic County Historical Society received an operating grant from the Atlantic County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs The Atlantic County Historical Society will be closed: July 4 th Need to Contact Us? Phone: (609) 927-5218 Email: ACHSinfo@comcast.net Website: www.atlanticcountyhistoricalsocietynj.org Newsletter available online! ACHS Hours: Wednesday Saturday: 10:00am to 3:30pm Parking and entrance at the rear of our building Atlantic Heritage 7

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 164 Pleasantville, NJ 08232 907 Shore Road Post Office Box 301 Somers Point, New Jersey 08244-0301 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Our Mission: To collect and preserve historical materials exemplifying the events, places, and lifestyles of the people of Atlantic County and southern New Jersey. To encourage the study of history and genealogy. To provide historical and genealogical information to our membership and the general public. Atlantic Heritage 8